Where in the world is... HardDrive?

[543_Dallas]

What is the audio bandwidth on an out of the box 955?

Mine started rolling off pretty sharp right before 4khz. About 8k total bandwidth on AM. I did not do any proper testing to see how flat it was. Hard drive made a video showing one of his radios having a flat response by watching the waveform on an oscilloscope while changing the tone. He showed that the radio made 100% modulation from x to x hz. The problem I had with that is that the he could have been using much more audio than required to hit 100% and the modulation limiter gave the illusion of the transmitter having a flat frequency response.

He's got a tad more bandwith than the average radio. But I really think he's got a great sound an any of the radios he's working on.

Yes he does but I'm not sure if he deserves all of the credit for the bandwidth. My 955 came out of the box with a tad more tx bandwidth than my other stock cb sets. As far as a cb with a cb mic connected to it he does sound good. Much better than most. Who knows who's radio he's really talking on. The really bad cb techs have made me suspicious of them all.

 

[543_Dallas]

Yes sir, that’s me!! My pestering buddy Patzerozero and his Magnum sidekick BC.

I found that forum trying to find radio mods back when I first got into radio. Time flies... I jumped on the magnum S9 bandwagon too. It was my go to rig for years.

 

[Handy Andy]

Mine started rolling off pretty sharp right before 4khz. About 8k total bandwidth on AM. I did not do any proper testing to see how flat it was. Hard drive made a video showing one of his radios having a flat response by watching the waveform on an oscilloscope while changing the tone. He showed that the radio made 100% modulation from x to x hz. The problem I had with that is that the he could have been using much more audio than required to hit 100% and the modulation limiter gave the illusion of the transmitter having a flat frequency response.
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Man! If I could give you 1,000 likes - I would.

That is one way of looking at the point I am trying to make from earlier! Excellent...

The main crux is the frequency response of the mic element - you put in a treble-range Tweeter into the mic circuit - you get one result - with little bass. But you can take that same Tweeter and overdrive it's signal with that "tone" and you can achieve the overall bandwidth you want to show others...

It's the overall spectrum of frequencies and the peak response at that instant in time - that truly makes or breaks the radio when it comes to demonstrating bandwidth.

Or as I used to tell people when they'd ask me how much audio was this thing puttin' out - I'd tell them...

You can't put much more in there - not even your shoes...keep your shoes on - you have more than enough audio in there.

I just don't want to bore you guys to death with trying to post a "Stereo Review" article - and it's only AM radio...

 

[StrangeBrew]

Mine started rolling off pretty sharp right before 4khz. About 8k total bandwidth on AM. ....

That's actually not bad, something like a W2IHY EQ and a decent mic should be all you need to sound pretty good. Aren't most radios closer to the 3.2-3.5khz mark?

Do you remember what it did on the low end?

 

[Slowmover]

Problem is they never worry about whether or not the truck will be moving tomorrow.


PS: Any thoughts/opinions on that Uniden 885?

The review I read on RadioReference sold me. That truck driver summed up his experience that the 885 was a tool he’d replace if it’s service was lost.

As I view the GPS that way, I understood.

From practicality standpoint, I’ve avoided three backups in three weeks. That’s the sale closer.

From entertainment, some of the “taxpayer radio” transmissions are droll humor.

Then there’s the incongruency between one of those and some truck driver yelp right afterwards. Damn funny.

The thoughtful side is the number of those in distress. EMS or Fire. As I know they’re all tax-paying, fully self-supporting individuals. (We spent $2.4-billion on just anchor babies last year; your money and your neighbors funding the replacements for your children & grandchildren).

Some agencies encrypted. But I’ve had full days of listening. Haven’t programmed card yet.

The real question: Why is this deputy flying past me at 90+? (Etc).

Yes, answered several times now. Huge relief in “knowing” just that much more.

I’ve seen the comment that it may be a tad more receive-sensitive than an 880. I’ll test at some point (swap).

As to HardDrive & high fidelity (was it London or Deutsch Gramophone “FFRR: Full Frequency Range Response?) the comparison is to other CBs working skip on 19.

He stands out. Only a few others sound as good.

That there are still others to be found elsewhere is, for truck drivers, beside the point.

But the whole “radio announcer quality” sound always gets compliments.


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[TheRealPorkchop]

I found that forum trying to find radio mods back when I first got into radio. Time flies... I jumped on the magnum S9 bandwagon too. It was my go to rig for years.

I still have my original S9, that Pat talked me into buying because he wouldn’t shut up about them. 14 years later, still on the dash of my dump wagon. Not one failure. Time to get a Timmy recap huh? Hahahahaha.

HD did sound good, I’ll give him that too. I wonder if he’s in the same spot today or out roaming again?

Wouldn’t it just be better to leave the radio alone and use some type of processing to get a different tone and all that jazz instead of changing 50 thousand pieces inside the radio? Seems like a lot of unnecessary work to me.

 

[Unit 194]

He's got a tad more bandwith than the average radio. But I really think he's got a great sound an any of the radios he's working on.

I got back on the air back in 199? and to the best of my knowledge I have never heard one of these so called "fine tuned" radios. And if I did, I guess it was nothing special.

 

[kaos513]

He is always on the run avoiding the tax man thats why he has a motorhome.

 

[TheRealPorkchop]

He is always on the run avoiding the tax man thats why he has a motorhome.

Hahahahaha. Damn. Probably fun though, getting to see so many different places and things. Probably boring and lonely at times I would imagine though.

He must do pretty good though, to keep moving and all that, or he just likes to ride.

 

[543_Dallas]

That's actually not bad, something like a W2IHY EQ and a decent mic should be all you need to sound pretty good. Aren't most radios closer to the 3.2-3.5khz mark?

Do you remember what it did on the low end?

I don't remember where the low end was. I haven't swept any other radios that weren't modified. The way the 955 sounded with the d104 just got my attention. When I hear hd his audio is no wider on the panadapter than my stock Stryker was.

It seems like most of the shops that sell these rigs are turning them up to 90 watts to keep up with the competition. I can't imagine that helping the audio quality. By comparison the fine tune or straight out of the box radio will sound better. Most pay extra for the 11m conversion and get the power cranked up. They never know how it worked straight out of the box.

 

[Handy Andy]

There is also the other option of keeping the radios' output within limits - so there your headroom, bandwidth as well as the envelope swing.

Just take any HD amp placed behind it and run the thing (again , radio) as close to stock as the amp limits allow and you're better off than those that try to crank up the radios' power and lose their range of fidelity in all aspects.

Amp quality and Class? If you use SSB - get AB bias, - AM and/or/possibly FM - Use a Class C - why worry about power - you push harder on the radio it's gonna' get crunchy...save it for the amp...let it do the legwork..

 

[w9cll]

He is always on the run avoiding the tax man thats why he has a motorhome.

Or he is staying one step ahead of the pitchforks and flamethrowers.

 

[Martian]

He has a past that has started to catch up with him.
That's why he has Facebook troll accounts in every group that dislikes him and that's pretty much all of them. Except his, of course.

If you want to buy from him and put up with his BS, then more power to you.
But what he does isn't novel, and it isn't hard and it's been covered by others in the thread all that you need to do.

But there is something to be said. If he knows what to do and you do not, then that information has value. If you want to know and no d your own research then pay the man.

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

I don't remember where the low end was. I haven't swept any other radios that weren't modified. The way the 955 sounded with the d104 just got my attention. When I hear hd his audio is no wider on the panadapter than my stock Stryker was.

It seems like most of the shops that sell these rigs are turning them up to 90 watts to keep up with the competition. I can't imagine that helping the audio quality. By comparison the fine tune or straight out of the box radio will sound better. Most pay extra for the 11m conversion and get the power cranked up. They never know how it worked straight out of the box.

That is interesting about the power. I have also heard that the alignment is good out of the box. I wonder where the factory modulation limit is set for AM?

 

[543_Dallas]

That is interesting about the power. I have also heard that the alignment is good out of the box. I wonder where the factory modulation limit is set for AM?

Mine needed a slight adjustment but in all honesty it wasn't a noticable amount. The alignment on mine was good. A local bought a different model Stryker and it was also good to go after the conversion. The only problem I had was the oscillation and spurious emission caused by poor shielding. I believe Stryker finally addressed that.

When the power is cranked up too much the waveform becomes distorted, imd goes up and the natural sound of your voice starts to sound tinny or crunchy. Many people think that's what a powerful radio station sounds like.

I also found that keeping the AM carrier below 10 watts on the 955 made for a cleaner waveform. The manual said 12 or 15 watts but the little finals don't quite have enough headroom for that.